Fire extinguisher apparatus

ABSTRACT

A device for discharging a fire-extinguishing agent. The device includes a cylinder and a cassette tank containing a specified fire-extinguishing agent housed in the cylinder. The tank is airtightly sealed within the cylinder but is capable of being taken out of and put back into the housing when desired. A high pressure gas cartridge is secured to the housing and a breaking lever is used to break a seal on the cartridge. When this occurs, highly pressurized gas from the cartridge is directed toward the cassette tank via connecting pipes. This gas stirs the fire extinguishing agent in the tank and breaks a second seal located between the cassette tank and a passage leading to the fire extinguisher nozzle. As a result, the fire extinguishing agent in the cassette is forced out through the nozzle towards the fire.

0 Muted States Patent 1191 1111 3,858,659 Fukushima 1 Jan. 7, 1975 FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS Primar E.\'aminerM. Henson Wood Jr. 7 1 1 Y h F k Y 1 l 5] or asulc l u ushlma: Osaka Japan Assistant ExaminerAndres Kashnikow [73] Ass1gnee: Hatsuta Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Attorney, Agent, or FirmWenderoth, Lind & Ponack Osaka-fu, Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 24, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl. No.: 391,486

A device for discharging a fireextinguishing agent. The device includes a cylinder and a cassette tank [30] Forelgn Apphcamm Pnomy Data containing a specified fire-extinguishing agent housed Sept. 25, 1972 Japan 47-96484 i the cylinder The tank is aimightly Sealed within the cylinder but is capable of being taken out of and put [52] US. Cl 169/77, l69/88, 239/309 back into the housing when desired A high pressure Cl. gas cartridge is ecured to the housing and a breaking [58] Fleld Search 169/9, 31 31 P; lever is used to break a seal on the cartridge. When 239/142, 272, 309-311; 222/399, 400.7 this occurs, highly pressurized gas from the cartridge is directed toward the cassette tank via connecting [56] References Cited pipes. This gas stirs the fire extinguishing agent in the UNITED STATES PATENTS tank and breaks a second seal located between the 2,160,043 5/1939 Threm 222/399 Cassette tank and a Passage leading to the fire 2,580,4l9 1/1952 Griggs l69/3l R guisher nozzle. As a result, the fire extinguishing agent 2,596,414 5/1952 Knapp 239/309 X in the cassette is forced out through the nozzle to- 3,228,474 l/l966 Huthsing, Jr 169/31 R wards the fire FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5 C] 10 D F 383,577 11/1932 Great Britain.. 222/399 rawmg "aw", Jun...

PATENTEU 3,858,659

SHEET 3 OF 8 PATENTEU 7 I975 SHEET 5 [IF 8 mQ-h PATENTEI] JAN 7 I975 SHEET 8 BF 8 PATENTED W5 3,858,659

SHE T 70F 8 FIG? PATENTED JAN 71975 SHEET 8 [IF 8 I 1 FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel fire extinguishing device, and more particularly to a portable cassette type fire extinguishing device.

Portable fire extinguishers are commonly used for quickly extinguishing small fires and for aiding in the control of larger fires, particularly when large fire extinguishing equipment is unavailable. These devices typically include a cylindrical tank which houses a fire extinguishing agent under pressure and a hose attached to the tank. To operate the device, the user turns a valve (or inverts the device) to allow the pressurized extinguishing agent to be expelled from the tank towards the fire. Such devices obviously can contain only a small amount of pressurized extinguishing agent and, therefore can be used for only a short period of time before they must be refilled. Furthermore, when refilling is necessary, this must be done professionally, usually by returning the device to the manufacturer or to a qualified service technician. In addition, many ordinances require that all fire extinguishers be refilled once a year even if they had not been discharged during that year. As a result of this, the device must be out of service for a considerable amount of time during the year and one may be required to purchase more devices than are actually needed so as to always have at least one usable device.

Problems are also encountered when the devices are actually being filled, particularly when they are being filled with a dry powder. Because of the manner in which these known devices must be filled, there is a high probability that the extinguishing agent can become contaminated or that much of it can be spilled and wasted. Furthermore, the technicians filling the tanks must breath the fumes or inhale the dust powder which could be harmful to their respiratory organs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fire extinguishing device which overcomes the above defects. This is accomplished by a device which includes separate and replaceable cassette tanks and pressurized gas cartridges. Each of the cassette tanks and gas cartridges is sealed and the cassette tanks contain a specified fire-extinguishing agent. The cassette tank is made so as to fit within the cylindrical housing of the apparatus and the gas cartridge is securely screwed to the device adjacent the housing.

In use, the seal on the gas cartridge is broken and highly pressurized gas is directed toward the cassette tank via connecting pipes. This gas stirs the fire extinguishing agent in the tank, breaks a seal located between the tank and a passage leading to the fire extinguisher nozzle and as a result, forces the agent out through the nozzle. When the fire extinguishing agent or the gas cartridge is exhausted, one merely needs to replace the same with another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed explana tion of several embodiments thereof taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, shown partly in cross-section, of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the device in operation;

FIG. 4 is a side view, similar to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a slightly modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of several of the essential elements shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, a cassette tank 2 containing a specified powder or liquid fire-extinguishing chemical is housed in a cylinder 1. As a result of the protrudent cylindrical top of the cassette tank 2, the threaded lid 4, the protrudent edge of the connecting piece 3 and the elastic member 5 fixed to the spiral lid 4, the eassette is capable of being removed from and put back into the cylinder in an air-tight arrangement as desired. The main cylinder 1, the lid body 8 and the connection member 9 are fixed with the clamping mean 28. The connection member 9 and the handle 17 are connected together by clamping means 18 and by the residual pressure release valve 32 (see FIG. 4). The lever 19 pivotally mounted at 20 to the handle 17 causes the breaking lever 14 to slide up and down air-tightly in the connection member 9 through the O-ring packing l6. Ordinarily, however, the lever 19 is prevented from moving by the safety plug 21 and the stop member 22. The lower edge 15 of the breaking lever 14 is placed opposite the seal 12 of a pressure cartridge 11 which is mounted through the packing 13. A first passage 24, for high pressure gas, is provided in the connection member 9 and a second passage 25 is provided in the connecting piece 3. The upper part of this connecting piece 3 is fitted into the connection member 9 through the O-ring packings 10 so that the first and second pas- Sages 24 and 25 communicate with each other. First passage 24 is also made to communicate with the cartridge 11 when the seal 12 is broken, and passage 25 is designed to communicate with the interior of cassette tank 2 when high pressure gas from the cartridge forces open the elastic member 5. The upper end of a fireextinguishing agent supply pipe 7 is mounted air-tightly to the connecting piece 3 and is closed by the sealing element 6. As will be described below, an opening 38 in the fire-extinguishing agent supply pipe 7 can be made to communicate with the hose 29 through the fire-extinguish-agent supply passages 39 and 40.

The operation of the device will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. In an emergency, the stop member 22 is broken and the lever 19 is pivoted about point 20. This lowers the breaking lever 14 causing the lower edge 15 thereof to break the seal 12 of the gas cartridge 111. As a result, the highly pressurized gas inside the cartridge passes through the first and second passages 24 and 25, forces open the elastic member 5, enters the cassette tank 2, stirs the fire-extinguishing agent contained therein, forces the fire-extinguishing agent through opening 38 of the supply pipe 7 and breaks the seal 6. The fire-extinguishing agent then passes through the passages 39 and 40 and is discharged through the nozzle 30 of the hose 29 in the desired direction.

A modified form of the device will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4-10.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a cassette tank 2 containing a specified fire-extinguishing agent is housed in a main cylindrical l. The two are secured together through the protrudent cylindrical top of the cassette tank 2, the threaded lid 4, the protrudent edge of the connecting piece 3, the bent edge of the outer pipe 33 and the packing 36. As a result, the cassette tank 2 can be taken out and put back in and kept air-tight as desired. The upper end section of the inner pipe 7 is fixed to the connecting piece 3, and as can be seen in FIG. 4, the main cylinder 1 and the lid body are screwed to gether, the lid body 8 and the connection member 9 are bolted to each other, and the connection member 9 and the handle 17 are clamped by the clamping means 18 and the residual pressure release valve 32.

Since the means for fixing the main cylinder 1, the lid body 8, the connection member 9 and the handle 17 are substantially the same as those used for the device shown in FIG. 1, they will not be explained again in detail. It is to be noted, however, that in the FIG. 4 embodiment the lid body 8 is screwed onto the main cylinder 1 in lieu of bolts 28. v

In use, the lever 19 which is pivotally mounted to the handle 17 causes the breaking lever 14 to slide up and down air-tightly through the O-ring packing 16. Ordinarily, the lever 19 is prevented from turning by the safety plug 21 and the stop means 22. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the lower edge of the breaking lever 14 is placed opposite to the seal 12 of the gas cartridge 11 which is mounted to the connection member 9 through the packing 13. Also, similar to the first embodiment, a first passage 24 for high-pressure gas is provided in the connection member 9 and the upper part of the connecting piece 3 is air-tightly fitted in the connection member 9 through the O-ring packings 10. The second passage 25 for high-pressure gas is provided in the connecting piece 3 so that the first and second passages 24 and 25 communicate with each other. As above, the first passage 24 is made to communicate with the gas cartridge 11 when the seal 12 is broken. However, the second passage 25 in this embodiment is made to communicate with the outer pipe 33 of the coaxial pipes 7 and 33.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a plurality of recessed parts 34 are provided at various positions in the outer pipe 33. These recessed parts 34 are made to contact the inner pipe 7 to thereby embrace and support the inner pipe 7. A plurality of penetrating holes 35 are made in the outer pipe 33 adjacent the bottom thereof. These penetrating holes 35 are temporarily closed by a flexible elastic member 5. The lower end part of the inner pipe 7 is blocked by a seal 6 which is mounted through the packing 37. The passage opening 38 of the inner pipe 7 is made to communicate with the hose 29 via fire-extinguishing agent supply passages 39 and 40.

The operation of this fire-extinguishing agent discharging device is as follows:

In an emergency, the stop piece 22 of the safety plug 21 is broken and the lever 19 is turned. This lowers the breaking lever 14 causing its lower edge 15 to break the seal 12 of the gas cartridge 11. As a result, the highpressure gas inside the cartridge 11 passes through the first and second passages 24 and 25, enters the outer pipe 33 of the coaxial pipes, and, as shown in FIG. 8, forces the elastic member 5 away from the penetrating holes 35. The gas then enters the cassette tank 2, stirs the fire-extinguishing agent therein, breaks the seal 6 of the inner pipe 7, and rises with the fire-extinguishing agent through the passage opening 38 of the inner pipe 7. The fire-extinguishing agent passes through the fireextinguishing agent supply passages 39 and 40 and is then discharged through the nozzle 30 of the hose 29 toward the desired object.

What is claimed is:

1. A fire extinguisher device comprising a cylindrical housing and a nozzle connected to said housing, said housing having means to accommodate in the inside thereof a sealed cassette tank containing a fireextinguishing agent, means for air-tightly sealing a cassette tank to said housing, said housing having means for air-tightly securing thereto a high pressure gas cartridge sealed by a seal, a first passage communicating between said means for securing said gas cartridge and the inside of said housing at a position which would be adjacent one end of a cassette tank when located therein, a second passage communicating between the inside of said housing adjacent a cassette tank when located therein and said nozzle, a breaker lever means mounted within said first passage and selectively movable for breaking said seal on said gas cartridge and for causing highly pressurized gas from said cartridge to flow through said first passage into a cassette tank when located in said housing to stir the fireextinguishing agent therein and to force the same through said second passage and out said nozzle.

2. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 1 further including means for actuating said breaking lever.

3. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 1 further including a cassette tank positioned within said housing and a gas cartridge attached to said means for securing.

4. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cassette tank includes a central pipe means having a frangible seal at one end thereof and wherein said second passage communicates with the interior of said pipe means.

5. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said central pipe means comprises a coaxial pipe means comprising two pipes and flexible seal means separating the space between said two pipes and the interior of said cassette tank, said first passage communicating with the space between said two pipes. 

1. A fire extinguisher device comprising a cylindrical housing and a nozzle connected to said housing, said housing having means to accommodate in the inside thereof a sealed cassette tank containing a fire-extinguishing agent, means for air-tightly sealing a cassette tank to said housing, said housing having means for air-tightly securing thereto a high pressure gas cartridge sealed by a seal, a first passage communicating between said means for securing said gas cartridge and the inside of said housing at a position which would be adjacent one end of a cassette tank when located therein, a second passage communicating between the inside of said housing adjacent a cassette tank when located therein and said nozzle, a breaker lever means mounted within said first passage and selectively movable for breaking said seal on said gas cartridge and for causing highly pressurized gas from said cartridge to flow through said first passage into a cassette tank when located in said housing to stir the fire-extinguishing agent therein and to force the same through said second passage and out said nozzle.
 2. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 1 further including means for actuating said breaking lever.
 3. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 1 further including a cassette tank positioned within said housing and a gas cartridge attached to said means for securing.
 4. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cassette tank includes a central pipe means having a frangible seal at one end thereof and wherein said second passage communicates with the interior of said pipe means.
 5. A fire extinguisher device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said central pipe means comprises a coaxial pipe means comprising two pipes and flexible seal means separating the space between said two pipes and the interior of said cassette tank, said first passage communicating with the space between said two pipes. 